Choose to Give Instead

With technology today, we can do so much with our smartphones. Sending and receiving calls and texts are just a small fraction of their function. From watching videos, playing games, taking pictures and paying our bills online, we have access to nearly anything we can imaging in the palm of our hands, we just have to know where to find it and how to access it.

For those with a charitable soul wishing to make small, regular contributions to their non-profits of choice, Instead is a micro-donation app that “encourages people to live within or below their means in order to give.” Created by Oven Bits, a creative studio from Dallas, TX, the purpose of the Instead app is to make it easy for us to, rather than spend $4 on our afternoon coffee or $8 for popcorn at the movies, channel that money towards a non-profit to benefit those in need.

You can choose the amount you wish to donate and the charity you want to direct your contribution. An account can be created to make regular donations to your favourite charities faster and easier, and also provides you with tax-deductible records.

At the end of the calendar month, Instead tally’s the totals received for each non-profit and mails them a cheque, minus 5% of the gross donation for Instead’s volunteer lead, operational costs. The premise of the app and its giving model is this: “Instead of seeing a movie, I am renting a film and giving $7 to help the non-profit of my choice.”

Instead currently lists the Acumen Fund, Care, Habitat for Humanity, and Livestrong amongst its long list of charities from which participants can choose. If you are a non-profit wanting to create sustainable giving campaigns through Instead, click here.

To start giving today through the Instead app, download the iPhone app here, or the Android app here.